Minnow bucket



. 4o {venom Patented Nov". 1935 l Al n "cation March 11,

PAT-E NT men BUCK ET John H. Cox, Quincy, 1J1.

1935; semi eiosis 5'Claims. (cue- 5s).

inventionrelates to buckets and floats for holding fish bait and has for an object to provide an eifective means of carrying and protectinggminnows -for bait so that the water con-T t5 'taining theminnows maybe completely and almost continuously aerated so that the minnows may be kept alive forga substantial period of time.- 'A' further object of 'my invention is the pro- 10f vision-bf anovel float supported in the water in a minnow bucket in amanner permitting the weight oi the float to aid in the supply of air' admitted to the minnow cage of the float.

A further object of my inventionvis to provide in conjunction with the above mentioned features of a minnow bucket a 'handleftherefor shaped to define a means for limiting the' movement 01' the float without unintentionally releasing the same from the. bucket containing the a water in which the float is-resting.

a A particular purpose oi my inventionlis shaped. to define means for supplyingair bub ibles'or releasing the same into the minnow 26 cage almost in constant"supply and particular- 1y with. the slightest agitation: and infsuch .a minnowv bucket my purpose is to provide also ffa handle shaped to define a stopmem'ber for.

limiting the 'free movement of the float-.and to 30 prevent the float from unintentionallycoming out of the container. ,v

. I attain the objects vof my invention "in the device-describedin the annexedspecification; recited in the claims andillus'tratedin theaccompanying drawing in which like reference 1111 merals indicate like parts in the several figures.

Referring to the figures: J i J I Figure l is a perspective with'a cut-away disclosing the details of construction of my in- Figure 2 is a vertical hali-sectionof my in--- ,-'vention;,' D

Figure 3 is a detail of a portion of the handle and-{the adjacently' connected portion of the minnow bucket of my invention; a Figure 4 is a bottom view of the wagered bottom plate of the float in my mifinow bucket.

- ;Figure 5 is a side or elevation of theplat shqwninFig;4.:

5o With particular attention to the drawing vforrning a. part of this specification; it will be observed that to accomplish .the purposes of my" invention I provide in conjunction withan -outer] 'figcket. l-a float 2' for holding minnows and the v e. i l 'J movement of'waterand ventilation This outer bucket is provided 'with'a handle 4 fOPCaHfYlIIQthB same,*an'd one of the novel 'features of my. invention is the shape '01 the' handle which provides in it's i'orm'an' inward i ofi-se'tS on one side and 6 on the other serving as a stop means for limiting the upward movement of float 2 and for preventing the un-- intentional removal 0! float 2 frombucket mem-v ber i.

This bucket member, I has a series of air in-lo I take. holes .1 adjacent the top for admittingair through the bucket to the water contained there in as the air-first enters the space 8 between the bucket and the float.

handle member 4 will spread when pivl5 otally pushed down to one side. on its'support I brackets 8 and .permit ofi set members 5. and

6 to slide oif peripheral rim Ill vfhpn it is desired to take the fioatyout oi bucket I. a

" In my minnow bucket I have provided a ham- 20 dle ll for lifting float Z and carrying the same i ;provide in a minnow bucket a float base plate while a perforated-lid member it provides top access to the interior of the float while the ventilating holes l3 provide ample ventilation for invention a float chamber I5 which is airetight and defined bygah annular collar 55 fixed in its -\float 2 'out oil-bucket l and let it floatin the so Waters offthe fishing pool, pond, river or the like, then thisair-tight chamber l5- will peri mit the float '2 to rest in the water with onlyffl asmall portion of-the float adjacent .the top exposed above the water. p. I 1 'WJie'n'the' minnows, are put into the float cagethrough'lid J2- there is preferably provided for the minnow chamberl la wire eagesection l'l oi" the minnow -cage wall defining the outer perimeter-portion of float -2 andthisj wire cage 40 section in float 2 provides a greater freedom of ,in' and out this base plate in its location-serves several, 1

purposes."

' For instance, plat e I8 formsthe bottombifminnow cage chamber and has 'a minute cen so "I have provided. as an essential feature- 0f my a relation to floatZ, and when it is desired to take tral' hole 20 through whichsmall bubbles of a irare permitted to escape from a lower water pressure chamber 2| up into and through the minnow cage chamber I! and since the bottom I end of float 2 is open like aninvertedcup it will be evident that when float 2 is seated down into bucket full of water the weight of the float settling into the water would produce a vacuum in pressure chamber 2| were it not for 10 central aperture 20 releasing the air slowly in minute, particles out of this chamber up through the water in minnow cage chamber 14. This gradual release of air from chamber 2| helps to keep the minnows fresh and alive but as 16 such air escapes from this chamber 2| slowly it will just as slowly let into this'chamber an equal amount of water to take its place.

" Thus this replacement of .water for the air will ultimately fill chamber 2| with water up to the'bottom of plate ll. a

Plate l8 however, is shaped to define-a cen- .tral air receiving dome or pocket from which the air leaves as it enters chamber II and also is shaped to deflne a series of concentric cor- 5 rugations thus forming spaced rings or channels extending slightlydown into chamber 2|- .and by such formation thesecorrugations 22 set oil a series of spaced air traps 23 under plate 8, all of which are filled with air under 30 pressure due to the weight of the float 2 upon 1 the water in chamber 2|. This fact is a distinct advantage in accomplishing the purposes of my invention.

For instance, even after chamber 2| is prac-' tically filled with water admitted by the slow escapeof air therefrom a careful study of the drawing will reveal the factthat the spaced annular air traps 23 contain each a supply layer from which air may escape toward aperture 20 40 upon theslightestagitation of bucket i or float 2 witlr'the result that there is provided for aeration of minnow cage ll virtually an inexhaustible supplyof .air forbait minnows and the like. When float 2 is shovedv into bucket the rising 45' column of water outside of float 2 within bucket forces air out through holes I and were it not for off-sets 5 and 6 in handle 4 adapted to hold float 2 down within predetermined limits then the air pressure in chamber 2| would tend to hold float 2 too high in bucket I.

been set forth and the practical character of my inventionjhas been proven by experience under actual tests and the proven fact is that with a 55 minnow bucket of my invention merits above described may be ed in a. car

or boat or other conveyance for extended periods of time with-every assurance, that the minnows will be well supplied with air in'ample quantities 60 with the agitation commonly expected when such 70 in bucket therefore creates 'a sort of breather actio in pulling in new supplies of the bucket throughholes I or overthe top of the bucket I Attention 75 in the eonstructionof plate which dunnsthe The salient features of my invention have thus ssing the slightest agitation of bucket or float 2 will cause air traps 23 to give up on such agitation a limited supply of the air pressed up into these traps.

It will be particularly noted that the off-sets 5 and 6 of handle 4 on bucket I do not press 5 down tightly on the top rim ill of float 2, but instead they allow a sufficient vertical movement of float 2 to give the float ample room for a rocking motion as it floats in the water in bucket With this tendency to rock as it floats there will 10 continue to be a tendency for the necessary agitation to release return supplies of air from air traps 23. v Having thus described'the nature of my in vention what I claim is v 1. In a bait bucket, a water container, a bait cage float in the container, a cover secured to the fioatand adapted to form a closure for the container, and a handle having an offset "portion adapted to engage the edge of the coverto retain the float within'the container and limit the move ment thereof, said float having a bottom plate spaced at all points above the bottom of the container and provided with a central air escape hole,

and a plurality of concentric corrugations to de- 1 fine annular air traps beneath the bottom plate,

whereby movement of the handle to an upright position willcause the oflset portions thereof to engage and maintain the cover to prevent opening thereof beyond predetermined limits, said float havinga bottorn plate formed with a plurality of recesses, and an apefture at the center 40 of the plate, therecesses constituting air pockets when the float is positioned in the container, said 7 1 bottom plate being spacedfrom said float bottom periphery and said container bottom at all points. p 1

3. In a bait bucket, a water container, a bait cage float in the containena cover. secured to the float and adapted to form scheme for the'container, and a,. handle having an offset portion adapted to engage the edge of the cover to retain 50 the float within the container and limit the movement thereof," said float having a bottom plate spaced at all points above the bottom periphery thereofand above the container bottom, and provided with a central air escape hole, said bottom plate shaped to define acentral inverted'dishlike cavity portion anda plurality of annular recesses encompassing said inverted dish-like portion' which has a greater depth than is provided in said annular recesses, said central portion and go said annularrecesses defining air traps below said bottom plate, and said water container being provided with air intake apertures in the wall thereof adjacent ,said cover. 7

4. A minnow bucket comprising an, outside 55 water container with spaced'periorations adJacent the top thereof a handle pivotallysecured to the container-and having offsets/therein, a float and minnow cage ,provided with a screened wall portion and a cover having an annular exten-" o sion covering the topperiphery of said container and engaged by said Ioflsets of said handle, a per a forated closure centrally disposed )n is especially directed'to'th'e merits and to the upright walls of the float ina manner said cover and anannular inner wall secured to said cover points above the bottom periphery thereof and defining an annular air-tight chamber for the float; a bottom plate for the float spaced at all above the bottom of said container, said bottom plate being provided with a central air escape hole and shapedto define a central inverted dishlike cavity portion and a plurality oi annular corrugations forming recesses surrounding said inverted dish-like portion which has a greater depth than is provided in the said annular recesses, said central portion and said'annular' recesses defining air traps below said bottom plate.

5; In a minnow bucket having an outside water container with spaced perforations adjacent the top thereof, a handle pivotally secured to the container and having offsets therein. a 'floatand minnow cage provided with a screened wall portion and a cover having an extension 3 covering the top periphery of said container and engaged by said oflsets of said handle. a periorated closure centrally disposed in said cover and an annular inner wall secured to. said cover and to the upright walls of the float in a manner de- I fining an annular air-tight chamber for the float;

, a bottom plate for the float spaced at all points encompassing said inverted dish-like portion which has a greater depth than is provided in said annular recesses, said central portion and." said annular recesses defining air traps below said bottom plate. p l

JOHN H COX. 

